The United States has warned Zambia that the international community is aware of how donor funds have been diverted for corrupt, personal or political use. The US government has also cautioned President Edgar Lungu to be more responsive to the needs of all citizens, urging him to focus less on constant campaigning and stop harassing his opponents.
It's not clear whether President Donald Trump will impose sanctions on Lungu and his ministers for the crimes they have committed while in power. But Washington has so far demanded that Lungu's administration should begin to be transparent and accountable in order to mitigate corruption and improve trust among citizens and foreign donors. Zambia has received over US$ 3.9 billion from the US since 2004 to support programmes targeting HIV prevention and treatment.
In fiscal year 2019, Zambia received US$ 385 million from the US while in 2020 the country is set to receive over $421 million. Meanwhile, the US has told Lungu to be more responsive to the needs of all citizens, urging him to focus less on constant campaigning and stop harassing his opponents. Speaking at the United States Independence Day reception at the Chief of Mission’s residence in Lusaka on Thursday, US Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote said having interacted with Zambians from all walks of life, they had told him that they were tired of corruption and political attacks. Source-ACN News